A new state-of-the-art Heart of Kent Hospice and community care hub has moved a step closer to reality after Maidstone Borough Council approved £3.53 million towards its construction.

Thanks to this significant award, the hospice has now secured more than one-third of the total £18.5 million project cost, representing an important and encouraging step forward. As momentum continues to build, the hospice must still raise a further £12 million to turn its vision for the Future Hospice into reality.

The funding, awarded through the council's Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) programme, will contribute towards the construction of a purpose-built hospice and community palliative care hub in Linton, providing modern hospice facilities alongside wider health and care services for people across Maidstone borough and the surrounding area.

Heart of Kent Hospice has been providing compassionate care and support to local people with terminal illnesses and their families for more than 35 years.

Cabinet Member for Planning Policy and Management, Councillor Tony Harwood, said:

"The funding approved towards the new Heart of Kent Hospice building represents a major investment in the future of health and wellbeing services for our residents. The hospice provides invaluable support to thousands of local people and their families, and this funding will help progress plans for facilities that can meet the community's needs for many years to come.

"This is an excellent example of how developer contributions can be invested in infrastructure that delivers lasting benefits, both for current residents and future generations."

Ann-Marie Kelly, Chief Executive said:

“We are delighted to be awarded this substantial funding from Maidstone Borough Council’s CIL funding which will future-proof the provision of outstanding palliative and end-of-life care for terminally-ill people in our community. Our new hospice will be a community asset, where patients and their loved-ones will benefit from the expertise and compassion of our dedicated teams of colleagues and volunteers.  Flooded with natural light and open-spaces, we are eager to welcome our community and to support terminally-ill people to live with comfort, independence and dignity to the end of their lives.

“We are hugely grateful to Maidstone Borough Council for their commitment to planning for the longer-term health needs of local people.”

The investment forms part of a wider £13.8 million package approved by Cabinet for infrastructure projects across the borough, helping to ensure local services and facilities keep pace with growth and future demand.

Alongside funding towards the construction of the hospice facility, Cabinet approved investment in a range of projects, including buildings for education, healthcare, community facilities, transport improvements and public open space. These include funding towards the expansion of Maidstone Girls' Grammar School, improvements at Lenham Nursery School, a contribution towards the One Maidstone Health Hub, enhancements to Staplehurst Community Centre and Bredhurst Village Hall, a new puffin crossing in Nettlestead, and the creation of Maidstone East Park.

The projects were selected through a competitive bidding process and assessed against criteria including strategic importance, deliverability and their contribution to supporting the growth identified within Maidstone's adopted Local Plan.

CIL funding is specifically intended for projects that deliver infrastructure benefits across the borough and support sustainable growth.

If you would like to find out more about Heart of Kent Hospice’s future hospice, to make a donation or to request a meeting please visit The future of Heart of Kent Hospice

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